ISAAC H. A. DANIEL, a Union soldier during the Civil War, and now a prominent farmer and stockraiser of Washington Township, Stone County, Missouri, Isaac H. A. Daniel is a native of Franklin County, Tennessee, where he was born September 30, 1830.
He is a son of Reuben and Susan (Watts) Daniel, natives of North Carolina and Franklin County, Tennessee, respectively. When a boy Reuben Daniel went with his parents from Georgia to Franklin County, Tennessee, and there he grew to manhood and was married. About 1839 he moved to Wayne County, Tennessee, and then to Washington County, Ark, where he died in April, 1863. He was a soldier in the First Arkansas United States Army, but was home on a furlough at the time of his death. His entire life was passed in agricultural pursuits. His father, Job Daniel, was probably born in England, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. His death occurred in Franklin County, Tennessee.
Our subject was but four years old at the time of his father’s death and there were seven children left fatherless. The mother died in 1891, when about eighty-one years of age, her death occurring in Stone County. She was the daughter of Robert Watts, who was a drum-major and was killed at the battle of Horseshoe Bend. Of the eleven children born to his parents our subject was the eldest. The next was William James, who died in California many years ago; Melvina E., widow of Isaac Ellis; Levi Thomas, of Texas, was a soldier in the Civil War and a teamster in the Federal Army; Rachie Gilbert died in Stone County, in August, 1892 (he was a soldier in the Rebellion); Andrew Baxter was a soldier in the Twenty-fifth Illinois Infantry, and was killed at Missionary Ridge); William B., of Washington County, Arkansas, was also in the Twenty-fifth Illinois Infantry, and was all through the war; Rebecca Jane, wife of James Wells, of Stone County; Jefferson, of Washington County, Arkansas; Spencer, died when quite young, and Elias Alexander died in Tennessee when an infant.
Our subject’s educational advantages were rather limited during youth, but since reaching mature years he has become a well-posted man. From an early age he became familiar with the duties of the farm and it was but natural, perhaps, that when starting out for himself he should choose agricultural pursuits as his occupation in life. On September 12, 1854, he was married in Hardin County, Tennessee, to Margaret Butler, a native of Bedford County, Tennessee, and the daughter of Brazman and Charlotte Butler, natives also of Bedford County, Tennessee Both were members of the Presbyterian Church and passed their last days in Hardin County, where the father followed the carpenter’s trade. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel: Alice, wife of Uriah Croombs of Mt. Vernon, Missouri; William James; Andrew J.; Mary E. died when a child; Susan C., wife of Constantine Forrester; Benjamin F., Cary L., John Brazman, Pearl E. and Ida May.
In 1859 Mr. Daniel removed to Washington County, Arkansas, where he resided until 1865, when he removed to the northwest corner of Stone County. There he made his home until 1886 when he moved to his present farm three miles above Galena, where he has 187 acres of excellent land, 115 acres of which are under cultivation. He is an honest, industrious man, and what he has accumulated in the way of this world’s goods has been made by the honest sweat of his brow. He affiliated with the Republicans until a few years ago, but is now, independent. While residing in Arkansas he was a member of the Masonic fraternity. He and Mrs. Daniel hold membership in the Missionary Baptist Church.
On the 20th of June, 1862, Mr. Daniel enlisted in Company B, First Arkansas Cavalry, Union Army, and a few months later was made company sergeant, which position he filled until the close of the war, operating in northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri, and in active service all the time. He acted in all the ranks up to major, commanding the company for several weeks at a time, and was a brave and faithful soldier. He had many narrow escapes, at one time having his horse shot from under him in Washington County, Arkansas, by thirteen bushwhackers. One shot slightly grazed his leg. He was mustered out at Fayetteville, Arkansas, August 23, 1865, and soon after returned to his family, who had removed to Stone County in April of that year.